Apple has confirmed that macOS 26 Tahoe will be the final major update for Intel-based Macs, marking a significant transition in the Mac ecosystem. During the Platforms State of the Union at WWDC 2025, Apple revealed that macOS 27 will support Apple silicon Macs only, requiring users to have either an M-series chip or the upcoming MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip.

The transition affects several Intel Mac models that currently run macOS Tahoe but won't receive future updates. These include the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019), 27-inch iMac (2020), 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports), and Mac Pro (2019). Apple silicon compatibility for macOS 27 remains partially unclear, though the company expects it to support all Macs with M1 chips or newer.

This shift represents the culmination of Apple's multi-year transition away from Intel processors. With macOS 27, Apple silicon will become the sole supported architecture, accelerating the phase-out of Intel Macs. The change impacts millions of users who may need to upgrade their hardware to continue receiving macOS updates and security patches.